The Donostia WeekINN 2019 edition has been extended over the weekend to implement an enlarged programme of activities addressed to citizens, with special focus on families.
The Councillor for Economic Development, Ernesto Gasco, mentioned that “the local government is extremely pleased to have managed to reach a large number of citizens of San Sebastian during this edition of the Innovation Week, especially through the activities scheduled on weekends, which have involved more than 1,200 people. We also value very positively the cooperation agreements with more than 60 agents of the local innovation ecosystem, including companies, educational and research centres”.
The 2019 Innovation Week started during the weekend with a wide range of activities addressed to families to experience innovation from very different perspectives: humour monologues, robotics workshops or concerts with musical instruments out of recycled materials activities were some of the most successful activities.
On Monday, the Kursaal Congress Center turned into a place for experimentation around disruptive technologies: 400 students from 11 schools lived a complete experience to find solutions to improve the city using disruptive technologies. During the session, students attended motivational talks and actively participated to solve a mystery through a locked-room escape mission, and worked on Design Thinking and Final Pitching workshops.
Marta del Amo, from the MIT Technology Review, delivered a conference to the local retail sector to provide tips on how to be competitive and innovative in the digital era. She also presented the main trends and how technology is revolutionising the retail and consumer sector. The day was completed with two sessions dedicated to Blockchain and 5G networks.
Some other activities carried targeted the hospitality industry, with a session devoted to culinary innovation “beyond the plate”. A group of speakers represented by an architecture firm, Michelin star chef and a culinary journalist had an open debate on the culinary experience in a restaurant beyond the food/gastronomic experience itself.
Some other activities developed during the weekINN took place at the Architecture Faculty Fab Lab. A workshop on design and circular economy was organised with the participation of students from different local schools to make a physical object for the school. This activity has been organised within the frame of the Interreg project Urban M.
Additionally, a session of Future Design working on the impact of ageing in the future was organised in cooperation with the research centre Biodonostia.
The María Cristina Hotel was the perfect setting where the DonostiaINN Awards for Innovation were delivered in two categories:
- Young innovative company: to Naru Intelligence, Data Solutions for Biomedicine (www.naruintelligence.com)
- Consolidated innovative company: to i68, integrated ERP management for companies. (www.grupoi68.com)
A special recognition award was given to Ceit-IK4 (www.ceit.es) a key research centre in the local innovation ecosystem of San Sebastian. Its president, Jose María Rodriguez Ibabe, pointed during the ceremony that the prize is the result of the continuous effort of the researchers and staff of the centre, as well as the existence of a fertile ground for innovation in San Sebastian.
Over a hundred representatives among local companies, public bodies and research centres attended the event.
Within the frame of the science dissemination events, this edition has included 3 talks on: Women and science, Football and science, and Nanotechnology and ageing. These events were hosted in the brew pub Baga Biga Fakoria, were participants enjoyed science informative sessions in a relaxed atmosphere.
The Donostia WeeKINN 2019 edition came to an end with the projection of the documentary film “Apollo 11”, jointly organized with the Basque Film Library and the Donostia International Physics Centre at the Tabakalera Cultural Centre
For Further information on weekINN see http://www.donostiainn.eus/es/donostia-weekinn or contact, Xabier Hualde by e-mail on [email protected].
